[boltfromblue]

When people like Goldhammer blindly deny that Arabic people have contributed anything to the world, to be able to more easily hate them with impunity as it were, I really care not a whit (because it is totally irrelevant) whether they were believers in Islam. I doubt that he cares at all about antiphony or cathedrals either except as a means to align Christians to his views, but the very thought that Arabic people contributed to that architecture so disturbs him he denies that unassailable fact out of hand, for fear he will not be able to admire them at all. I do believe God gave us free choice as to our spiritual path, which does not mean it is right to cajole and coerce others to be against that right to have freedom of religion as our nation provides. The thread poster is looking for our information on what Arabic peoples contributed to the world to seek a better opinion through a greater perspective of their culture, and what does Goldhammer have to contribute to this quest? Nothing but denials based on no information but his ignorant Yea, sure! Laughable.